Valentine's Day Memories

Meet Rita Cornelius. She was my Valentine's Day Gift when I was 8 or 9 years old. I begged and begged my parents to adopt an African-American sister for me. I can't tell you how much I begged. Needless to say, my parents thought they would get me a "substitute." My mind had no idea how much adoption really cost, that maybe my parents could not afford it, and whole list of other things that may be a factor. Rita is probably my favorite Valentine's Day Gift. I was super excited about her, and she is still a beloved possession! 

Over the past few days, I have been thinking about my mom and how she made Valentine's Day so special for our family. She would cook a favorite meal, usually make Jim's favorite dessert (Cherry Cheesecake), and just go out of her way to make us feel loved and extra special on that day. It was the holiday for her to lavish love on her family and she did it so wonderfully! 

This was my last Valentine's gift before Mom passed away, my first ESV Bible. She usually sent flowers and a goody box of stuff, but this year, I told her there was just one thing I would really like to have. She truly loved the Word of God, and so it is quite fitting that this was her last gift of "love."

I like to think that the way Mom showed love on this special day was just a tiny glimpse of how the Heavenly Father loves His children. As I think about Valentine's Day, my mind jumps to 1 John 3 and these verses at the beginning of the chapter, "See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know Him. Beloved, we are God's children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when He appears we shall be like Him, because we shall see Him as He is." Perfect love lavished upon us by the Heavenly Father that He would call us His own. Hope that as God's children we will be made complete and like Christ.

May Valentine's Day be a day filled with making memories with those you love! Perfect love is truly found in a relationship with Christ, may that be a reason for celebration on this special day and everyday!